Seven Valentines
by Leigh A. Sumpter
Summary: Every Valentine's Day, James asks Lily to be his Valentine... and every year, Lily says no.
1. First Year

**Author Note:** Hey there! I'm here to bring you another Lily/James fic… exciting, right? Maybe not. XD Anyway… this story is just supposed to be a fluffy little thing about Lily and James each year at Valentine's Day (each chapter represents a year). I figured it was almost that time of the year, might as well try something new! I hope you like it… let me know what you think!

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**First Year**

Lily Evans _hated_ Valentine's Day. She shuddered at the mere thought of such a holiday – what with the inundation of sugar, the superficial sweetness of those around her, the masses of pink flowers and gifts and decorations that clashed all-too-perfectly with her auburn hair. If two people were truly in love, she reasoned, they shouldn't wait for this specific day to reveal their feelings for one another.

As she entered the Great Hall for breakfast that morning, Lily tried to ignore that there even _was_ a holiday taking place. She pretended not to witness the public displays of affection that were going on around her. When her friends giggled at the thought of which boys might ask out which girls today, Lily tried to write it all off as mindless chatter. And when her owl brought in a box of chocolates, courtesy of her parents, she tried to appear as invisible as possible.

Of course, with James Potter nearby, such a task was near impossible.

"Evans!" James exclaimed in greeting, eying her box of chocolates. "I see you've got yourself a Valentine!"

Lily rolled her eyes at him as she took a spoonful of cereal. "Sod off, Potter."

"Touchy, now, are we?" he teased her, grinning. He glanced at his friends as if he were checking for their approval. "Who _is_ the lucky bloke?"

Lily frowned at him. "For your information, _Potter_, I don't have a Valentine. Valentine's Day is just a stupid excuse to spend loads of money on someone… it was devised completely by the companies who sell all that rubbish."

James looked at her for a moment, slightly thrown off by this explanation. Who _didn't _enjoy Valentine's Day?

He regained his composure by smiling at her. "You're just upset because I haven't asked you yet."

Lily felt her cheeks begin to flush. She shook her head vehemently at this suggestion. "As if I'd ever say yes to someone like you!" she retorted, crossing her arms.

"As if I'd ever ask you." James smirked. At eleven years old, he still wasn't the smoothest when it came to _the ladies_.

"Fine." Lily glared at him.

"Fine!" James responded.

Lily sighed and turned to talk to her friends. That was, if they weren't too busy gossiping about the holiday's latest happenings.

* * *

In the middle of Transfiguration, Lily received a note. 

"Oh, bugger," she muttered to herself, as her latest spell had gone completely awry in her lack of concentration. She set her wand aside and picked up the small, folded up parchment, only wondering what it could say.

_To Lily,_

_All right, so I know I said I'd never ask you…_

_But I changed my mind sometime between breakfast and right now._

_Be my Valentine?_

_James_

Upon reading this note, Lily couldn't help but snicker quietly to herself. _Potter?_ Asking _her _to be his Valentine? The idea was absurd! The two of them were constantly bickering.

Lily knew he was only doing this to make fun of her, so she merely ignored his note and continued to work independently.

During their next class, History of Magic, Lily received another note from James.

_Well?_

_I haven't heard back from you._

_Let me know soon!_

Exasperated after reading that second note, Lily groaned, though much louder than one might expect in a classroom so quiet.

"Something you would like to share with the rest of the class, Miss Evans?" Professor Binns asked, flitting towards her.

Lily shook her head. "No, sir," she responded quietly, brushing the sheet of parchment underneath her books so that he would not read it. "Please excuse me."

"Very well," Binns replied, and he continued to drone on in lecture.

This time silently, Lily retrieved the note again and reread it. Below the message attached, she wrote a simple response: _No._

She nudged the Hufflepuff who sat beside her, and motioned for the girl to pass the note back to James. Lily hoped that perhaps this time, he would get the hint and finally leave her alone.

"I got your response," James said to Lily on their way out of History of Magic. "But lucky for you, I'm giving you a second chance in person. Want to be my Valentine?" He grinned at her.

Lily wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I'd rather jump in the freezing cold lake than be your Valentine," she told him.

James laughed as they turned the corridor and made their way down the flight of stairs. "I'm not _that_ bad, am I?" he asked.

Lily smiled in spite of herself. "No," she said, "you're worse."

James crossed his arms in frustration. "You're strange, Lily. Most girls say yes when a boy asks them to be their Valentine."

"I'm not most girls." Lily gave him the once-over. "Besides, even if I_ did _support this holiday – which I totally don't – I wouldn't want to spend it with you."

James shrugged. "Oh, well," he conceded. He paused for a moment, before turning his attention to a blonde Ravenclaw first-year who was loitering with her friends across the hall.

"Oi, Abigail!" he called out. The girl spun around. "Want to be my Valentine?"

Blushing profusely at such a question, Abigail giggled and nodded. Shooting a smug look at Lily, James rushed over to his new Valentine and conjured up a bouquet of flowers for her.

Lily rolled her eyes for about the umpteenth time that day. "You're hopeless, Potter," she muttered under her breath, walking away at once.

_Maybe I should go find Sev,_ she thought to herself, already brightening at the thought of her best friend. _He's the only one who hates this holiday more than I do._

* * *

**Author Note:** Okay as a first chapter? I hope you guys liked it somewhat. I didn't want James to be _completely_ smooth with the ladies just yet, seeing as they're only eleven years old this chapter, but I wanted him and Lily both to show some of the same characteristics they have when they're older. Review and let me know what you think! (Yes, I know it's short.) 


	2. Second Year

**Author Note:** Wow! Chapter 1 had a really great turnout… I'm so glad to hear from all of you! I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter just as much (or more). Can't wait to hear from you!

* * *

**Second Year**

"Evans!" a voice called down the corridor. "Wait up!"

Lily spun around immediately, cutting short the conversation with her friends Mary Macdonald and Alice Andersen. Noticing James running up from behind her, she rolled her eyes. "Go on… I'll catch up with you two," she told her friends, sighing. Mary and Alice shrugged, and continued on their way.

"What do you want, Potter?" Lily asked, crossing her arms as she waited for James to catch up. "I told you before, I'm not letting you copy my Astronomy homework."

"Astronomy?" James smiled. "Don't worry, Lily. The only star in my life is you," he told her, wiggling his eyebrows. The gesture, which was supposed to look suggestive, came off instead as awkward and silly.

Lily couldn't help but laugh at this. "What's your point, Potter?"

"Will you be my Valentine?" James asked, his eyes pleading.

"Oh, not _that _stupid holiday again!" Lily had completely forgotten it was Valentine's Day – she had successfully avoided all talk of such things until now.

James tilted his head in confusion. "May I take that as a 'yes?'"

Lily hugged her books tightly and shook her head. "No, you may not."

"But Lily!" He stopped in his tracks.

Lily kept walking. "Oh, enough of that… we're going to be late for class!"

"I'm not giving up so easily." James grinned. "I hope you know that this year, I have a back-up plan."

"What's that?"

"Well… what would be the fun if I _told_ you?" James laughed. "Let's just say I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve…"

The two rounded the corner and approached their next class.

"Whatever they are, I'm not interested," Lily told him, and with that she entered the room.

* * *

"I think it's sweet!" Mary exclaimed, squeezing her pillow happily. "Isn't it sweet, Alice?" 

"Terribly sweet!" Alice agreed, grinning at Lily, who merely continued to blush and shake her head. "You should just say yes, Lily."

"'The only star in my life is you,'" Mary repeated, erupting in giggles. "I wish a boy would say that to _me_!"

Lily bit her lip and revealed a small smile. "Why don't _you_ go find Potter, then? I want nothing to do with him."

"What's so bad about him?" Alice asked, genuinely curious.

"Everything." Lily rolled her eyes. "Honestly, he's just _bugged_ me since the day we met. He was such a git to me… and to Sev…"

Mary's giggling subsided. "Oh no," she said. "You're not still friends with him, are you?"

Lily glared at her. "Of course I am!" she exclaimed defensively. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Mary shuddered. "He frightens us, Lily. You know that! You've seen who he hangs around with."

Lily shook her head. "Don't be silly, Mary – he's not _like_ that. Sev's my best friend. I'd know if he were up to something."

"I think," Alice said, reverting back to their original subject, "that you should forget about all that and just say yes to Potter. It's Valentine's Day! Get in the spirit of things!"

"Well,_ I_ think," Lily replied, closing the subject, "that this is a sorry excuse for a holiday, and that Potter would do better bothering someone else this year." She glanced at the clock. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go down for dinner now."

The three friends exited the dormitory and headed down the stairs, where they found James's best friends Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew waiting.

"Evans!" they called out.

Mary and Alice giggled, knowing this had _something _to do with James. "See you at dinner, Lily!" they called in unison, as they hurried out the door.

Lily crossed her arms. "Hello, boys," she greeted them, inwardly thanking Merlin that James was not waiting as well. "What can I do for you?"

"Peter, you go first!" Remus hissed at the chubby boy, as he and Sirius pushed him forward.

"This is from the Honorable, the Courageous, the Charming – James Potter!" Peter announced, clearly having memorized this title. "A poem for you." He cleared his throat. "Roses are red, violets are too…" He shook his head. "No, that isn't right. Hold on."

Sirius and Remus snickered at this, while Lily merely raised an eyebrow.

"All right." Peter took a deep breath. "Roses are red, violets are few…"

"No, Wormy!" Sirius exclaimed. "It's 'roses are red, violets are_ poo_…'"

Peter nodded. "Right… thanks. Roses are red, violets are poo… _hey_!"

At this, Sirius and Remus nearly fell on the floor laughing, while Peter stood beside them, looking completely distressed. Lily merely stood patiently and waited for the boys to settle down.

"Don't worry about it, Peter," she reassured him. "I'm not much for poetry, anyway."

"Show her the flowers, Wormy!" Remus coaxed his friend, hoping it might help him to regain his confidence.

"Oh, right!" Peter smiled at this, happy that Lily hadn't burst out laughing as well. He reached into his robe pockets, but frowned when he couldn't find the flowers. "Oh, I _know_ they're in here somewhere! They must be." He continued to rummage around hopelessly, when suddenly he remembered where he'd last placed them. He reached into the back pocket of his pants and pulled out a bouquet – or at least, the remains of a bouquet.

"Oh dear," Peter said, shaking his head. "I'm so sorry. They were lilies… James is going to kill me!"

Lily took the bouquet of green stems (for that's all that was left – crushed green stems) and mustered a small smile. For some reason, she pitied the boy. "They're lovely," she said comfortingly, setting them down nearby.

"At least we've still got the chocolates," Sirius told her, turning to Remus. "Right?"

Remus' eyes shifted nervously. "Erm… oh, yeah, of course…" he said, reaching into his robe pocket tentatively to pull out a heart-shaped box. "I might have eaten one or two, though."

Lily opened the box, to find it completely empty. She raised an eyebrow.

"Moony!" Sirius exclaimed, bursting out in laughter all over again. "_All_ the chocolates?"

"You're not the only one James is going to kill, Peter," Remus muttered.

"Where_ is _James, anyway?" Lily inquired. She couldn't believe he had gotten his _friends_ involved in the whole charade.

"Down in the Great Hall waiting for you," Sirius said. "So… will you be his Valentine?"

Lily shook her head slowly. "Sorry, boys. It's not you… you were great… it's him." With that, she left the Common Room and hurried down to the Great Hall.

Rushing over to the Gryffindor table, she found James waiting for her with a grin on his face. "So," he said, "how about it, then?"

Lily groaned. "You sent your _friends_ to ask me?!" she exclaimed, smacking his arm. "After I already said no to you?"

James's face fell. "You didn't like the poetry?"

"The poetry about _poo_?" Lily shook her head. "No. I didn't."

"Poo?" James couldn't help but laugh. "Peter must have flubbed the lines! Although I must say… that _is_ pretty funny…"

"Yeah," Lily agreed, "if you're five years old."

"What about the flowers?" James asked. "Did you get those?"

"Completely crushed."

"And the chocolates?"

"You mean, the empty heart-shaped box?"

James sighed. He knew it was a mistake to trust his friends in this endeavor. "I'm sorry. My friends really messed up, didn't they?" He tried to make light of it.

"No," Lily said. "You did. Why can't you just take _no_ for an answer?!" With that, she turned to find her friends. Conversation with James was pointless.

* * *

**Acknowledgments:** I want to thank _kadygal, Joanne Heart, His Half Blood Princess, CelticFairie, Miss DnG, siabrach, LILYandJAMESareCUTE, -Jeisa-, Tyem Myodyor, _and_risaroo852_ for your reviews on Chapter 1. Hope to hear from you again! 


	3. Third Year

**Author Note:** Yay for my lovely reviewers! You guys were awesome… thank you _so_ much for all the feedback you gave me on Chapter 2. Right now, I'm pleased to bring you Chapter 3! It's a little short (well, I guess they all are), but I hope you like it anyway.

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**Third Year**

"I can't believe you dragged us in here, Lily!" Mary exclaimed, truly looking as though she were in anguish. After all, they _were_ in the library – a dangerous place to be on a day as sunny as this one.

"Yeah, Lily," Alice agreed, setting down her quill at once. "We've already _been_ to all our classes today! Can't we go outside… or up to the Commons… or _something_?"

Lily sighed. "You both know why we're here!" she insisted, flipping to the next page in the book she was referencing. "Our essays won't write themselves, you know. Don't you remember last time when we waited until the last possible minute?"

Mary rolled her eyes at her friend. "Yes, _yes_, we remember." She reviewed the piece of parchment and knew that everything she'd written was rubbish, so she decided to ball it up and start anew. "You sound just like my mother."

At this, Lily decided to bite her lip and keep quiet. She was only looking out for her friends, but she knew that at times she could be a bit overbearing. "Sorry," she muttered, turning back to her own essay.

It was ironic, really. They had each been given a topic to write about for Potions, and as fate seemed to have it, on the one day of the year that she truly hated, her topic just _had_ to be Love Potions Throughout History. _Love potions!_ It was as though Professor Slughorn was _trying_ to upset her.

She skimmed through the general books she'd picked up, and sighed. Only one provided any remote information she would need to know; the rest gave brief definitions and nothing more. How could she possibly base an essay on a 100-word description from one book?

While Mary and Alice sat around bored, twirling their hair and looking anxiously at the time, Lily stood up. "I'm going to look for more books," she announced.

Her friends caught each other's eyes anxiously and grinned. "All right," they said, seeming to be on the same page. "Good luck!"

As Lily approached the bookshelves, she couldn't help but wonder what was up with her friends. But then, of course, she realized that the essay was more important right now than anything else.

_Potions… Potions…_ Lily continued down the rows of shelves until she finally reached the section she wanted._All right… Love Potions…_

Walking down the isle, she thumbed the books that were at her level until she finally reached the L's. She did not, however, notice the boy behind her.

"Looking for this?" asked a voice, and Lily jumped a little.

She spun around, only to see James leaning against the shelf behind her, holding out a book - _Love Potions: All You Could Ever Hope To Know About Them._

"Yeah, actually," Lily answered, taking the book from him tentatively. "How did you know?"

"I always know what you're up to, Evans," James said sweetly, grinning at her.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Oh! So you're stalking me, Potter?"

"Am I _stalking_ you?" James repeated somewhat loudly. Several rows down, a voice hissed "Shhhhh!"

"Sorry," James apologized, lowering his voice. "No, I'm not _stalking_ you. I just happen to be All Knowing."

Lily shrugged. "You know what? I don't really have time for this… I have to finish this essay. Thanks for the book, anyway."

She turned on her heel and began to exit the row of books, but not before James could add in one little interjection:

"Remember to check page 35!" he called out, ignoring the second "Shhh!" that was thrown his way. "I think you'll find it quite useful."

As she headed back to her table, she noticed that Alice and Mary had left. _How typical of them, _she thought to herself bitterly, a part of her wishing that she had gone and done the same thing. She opened the book and flipped to page 35.

_No matter how exact the ingredients, _the passage read, _a Love Potion will never provide the exact equivalent to true love._

Lily nodded to herself. _I'm sure that's true, _she thought. _I'd hate for a stupid _potion_ to bind me to someone else._

Suddenly she noticed a folded up sheet of parchment placed carefully in the book on that same page. She furrowed her brow. _What is James up to now?_

She opened the note, which read as follows:

_Lily!_

_It's that time of the year again._

_Be my Valentine?_

_Check:_

_ Yes_

_ No_

_You should think carefully about this._

_James_

Despite her best efforts, Lily couldn't help but smile slightly at this. She did not know why.

"I really hope you check 'yes,'" James told her, and she jumped again, not realizing that he had taken a seat across from her.

"James!" she exclaimed, her heart still racing. "I'm not checking_ anything_! Especially not yes."

"Quiet down!" Madam Pince warned them from the front desk, holding one finger to her mouth. "I won't say it again!"

James gave her a sort of half smile. "I know it's nothing fancy," he told her, "but it was the best I could do on short notice. I almost forgot it was Valentine's Day!"

Lily glared at him. "I wish you had," she replied, ripping up the note.

"You don't mean that." The smile remained.

"Oh, but I do!" Lily retorted. "What makes you think that I'm going to say yes this year?"

James cocked his head to the side in confusion. "I don't know," he admitted. "Third time's the charm?"

Suddenly, Madam Pince appeared at their table, looking completely bitter with the both of them. "I want the two of you _out_ of here!" she admonished them. "You're third years, for Merlin's sake. I expect better behavior from the both of you!"

Without a word, James and Lily sighed and picked up their things to go. Once they left the library, Lily turned to James.

"I can't believe you!" she exclaimed, crossing her arms. "You could've gotten us detentions!"

"_Me_?" James laughed dryly at this. "You were the one making all the noise!"

"You were the one who caused it!"

"What does it matter?" James asked. "Detention's not so bad."

"Maybe not for you."

"Maybe I _should've_ gotten us detentions," James said with a laugh. "Then you would have had to spend Valentine's Day with me!"

Lily groaned. "No, _thank_ you," she said, turning to leave. She knew, however, that no matter where she went, she wouldn't be alone. Potter always had a knack for turning up when she didn't want him.

* * *

**Acknowledgments:** Okay, maybe this chapter wasn't my best, but hopefully you guys enjoyed it somewhat anyway. I'd like to thank _Ashley-in-Wonderland, lucykevinfan, CelticFairie, risaroo852, lassie1994, -Jeisa-, His Half Blood Princess, ProngsGirl-Kady, LILYandJAMESareCUTE, siabrach, Miss DnG, _and _CurryCurran_ for their reviews on Chapter 2. Hope you continue reading! 


	4. Fourth Year

**Author Note: ** Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter 3! This story is so much fun to write, and having readers like you guys make it all the more worthwhile. Without further ado, I bring you Chapter 4! Enjoy it, guys.

* * *

**Fourth Year**

"Are you sure I look all right?"

Lily grinned as she twirled around in the middle of Hogsmeade. Her skirt caught the motion of the spin, and at that moment, she truly felt happy.

"I still can't believe you said yes to him!" Mary exclaimed, laughing as she took a sip of her butterbeer. "You, Lily Evans, are _truly_ an enigma."

"Truly," Alice agreed, nodding. "Who'd have thought?" Her voice revealed slight envy as she spoke. "You've always hated this holiday, and now you're the first of us to _get _a Valentine." She sighed. "And he's gotten _so_ dreamy!"

Lily bit her lip nervously. She knew her friend didn't sound as thrilled as she was; what could she do about that?

"Maybe I shouldn't go," she said, looking at Alice with great concern. "After all, it's completely against principle for me to actually participate in this holiday."

"Absolutely not!" Mary exclaimed, not catching Alice's jealousy. "You promised him you'd meet him at Madam Puddifoot's and that's exactly what you'll do. Besides," she added, "you've been looking forward to it all day."

Lily revealed a small smile. "I have," she admitted, blushing slightly. "Speaking of which, I should probably go find him now. I'll meet you after?"

Her friends nodded, and they parted ways. Lily made her way across the Hogsmeade square, until she reached the small shop where she intended to meet her Valentine. Suddenly, she heard a voice:

"I thought you'd never show up!" James exclaimed, approaching her at once.

Lily groaned. _Not him! _She thought to herself pleadingly. "What do you want, Potter?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Where are my manners?" James took her hand and went down on one knee. He looked up at her with big eyes. "Will you be my Valentine?"

Lily shook her head vehemently. "No!" she exclaimed, pulling her hand out of his. "And before you try to ask me again, let me tell you this – I already _have_ a Valentine."

James' smile faded into confusion. "What are you talking about?" he asked, truly not grasping the concept.

"I meant what I said." Lily crossed her arms. "Frank Longbottom already asked me, and I said yes."

"Longbottom already asked you," James repeated slowly. He sighed. "All right, then. I won't keep you." Frowning, he looked at Lily one more time before leaving.

A part of Lily felt somewhat guilty for this, but that guilt soon subsided. _What do I have to feel bad about?_ she asked herself. _I said yes to someone who doesn't annoy me to death._

Interrupting her thoughts came another voice. "Happy Valentine's Day, Lily," said Frank Longbottom in greeting. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

Lily immediately began to blush, but she smiled. "Thanks, Frank!" she gushed, though she wished she sounded cooler than she did right now.

"Shall we go find out what the fuss is about this place?"

Lily giggled. "Yes, let's go."

They entered Madam Puddifoot's and sat down at a nearby table. Lily looked around, thinking about how tacky the flying cherubs in the place were. _One of the things I hate about Valentine's Day,_ she thought to herself.

As they waited for someone to take their orders, the two immersed themselves in small talk. The entire time, Lily couldn't help but notice how right Alice was about him – Frank _had_ gotten particularly attractive over the course of the year.

_And best of all, his hair is neatly combed – not all rumpled and messy like James', _she thought to herself happily.

But right when their teas arrived, so did two other people – James and Alice.

"Fancy seeing you here!" James exclaimed, pretending to be surprised.

"Alice?" Lily asked incredulously. What was her friend doing with _James_? She was slightly annoyed. "Why are you with James?"

Alice shrugged. "He asked me," she said helplessly. "Mary and I ran into James and his friends at Honeydukes. Mary's still back there with the boys now."

Frank smiled at her. "Why don't the two of you pull up chairs and sit with us?" he suggested, instantly drawn to Alice's pleasant features. "We just got our tea."

"Don't mind if we do." James winked at Lily, as he and Alice moved into their table. Lily glared at him, and took a sip of her tea to keep from saying anything he regretted.

Absentmindedly twirling a strand of hair, Alice watched Frank intently. Lily furrowed her brow in confusion as she watched this, wondering why Alice was really even here in the first place. James leaned back in his chair and watched everyone else in amusement.

"So, Lily – you and Frank," James observed, grinning. "Never would've seen that coming. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to make me jealous."

Lily rolled her eyes at him. "You're right, James. In fact, that's my main goal in life – to make you jealous."

James turned to Frank and shrugged. "Sorry, Frank, but it looks like your date's madly in love with me." He winked at Lily.

"Oh, sod off!" Lily exclaimed, fuming at him. She sighed. "Frank, don't listen to him. He's a complete idiot."

"Hey, I have a date too," James argued. "I can't be _that_ awful if _someone_ said yes to me." He placed his arm around Alice and pulled her close. "Especially someone as beautiful as Alice…"

"Alice probably felt sorry for you!" Lily retorted, instantly moving in closer to Frank.

Frank and Alice watched Lily and James intently, obviously somewhat entertained by their banter.

"Well, she _said_ yes!"

"Frank asked me _yesterday_!"

"Well, I'm sure you must have _bossed_ him into it!"

Lily nearly threw down her teacup. "I did no such thing!"

Suddenly, Frank stood up. "Alice and I are going to take a walk," he announced, looking into Alice's eyes. "Aren't we, Alice?"

Alice immediately followed suit. She couldn't help but grin at the suggestion. "Er, yes!" she exclaimed, looking to Lily somewhat apologetically though still appearing thrilled. "We'll see you both later, all right?"

And with that, they left Madam Puddifoot's, hand-in-hand.

"Thanks a _lot_, James," Lily said sarcastically. "You did that on purpose!"

"Frank and Alice will thank us later," James responded bitterly. "What's this about you saying you'll be _Frank's_ Valentine when you've been telling me for years that you don't even _celebrate_ that holiday?"

Lily groaned. "I actually liked Frank," she answered wearily, taking another sip of her tea to try and calm her nerves. "I was looking forward to this date all day."

"Oh." James sighed. He wanted to separate Lily and her date… but he didn't want to hurt her feelings. He didn't realize she had actually been happy with Frank. "I'm sorry."

"You'd better be." Lily took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, too."

James was puzzled. "For what?" he asked.

"Maybe if I hadn't fought with you, both our dates wouldn't have left," she admitted, even though it was easier to just hate James for what he had done. "Although it _was_ mostly your fault…"

James brightened at this. _Mostly._ That meant that part of it was her fault too. He grinned.

"It was," he agreed. He stood up at once. "I'd better go… I can understand if you want me to disappear for a while."

Although it was completely against her better judgment, Lily stopped him before he could leave. "Wait!" she called out. He turned around. "Don't go."

James cocked his head in confusion. "You want me to stay?"

Lily shook her head. "Don't flatter yourself, Potter," she said defensively, stiffening at once. "I just don't want to look stupid sitting here all by myself."

James nodded understandingly. He wouldn't try anything funny for the rest of the day. "All right," he said, and he sat back down.

"Just promise not do to anything… Potterly… while we're here," she warned him.

"I promise," James said sincerely, grinning.

Lily couldn't help but reveal a small smile. _I really need some more tea,_ she thought to herself confusedly.

* * *

**Acknowledgments:** I would like to thank _CelticFairie, CurryCurran, meganidge, His Half Blood Princess, Tyem Marodyor, Ashley-In-Wonderland, risaroo852, _and_ –Jeisa-_ for your reviews on Chapter 3. Hope you enjoy Chapter 4! 


	5. Fifth Year

**Author Note:** I'm glad you guys liked Chapter 4! It was one of the most fun to write so far. Chapter 5 features Snape… I figured it was about time for him to show up! Remember, for those who have read DH, this is _before_ the whole "Mudblood" incident. Anyway… I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Fifth Year**

Another Valentine's Day had come, and this time, both of Lily's Gryffindor friends had dates. Alice and Frank had returned to Madam Puddifoot's to celebrate their one-year anniversary, and Mary had gone to grab a butterbeer with Sirius.

_What a pair, those two, _Lily thought to herself bitterly. _Mary never even _told_ me she fancied Sirius!_

Lily stood in the middle of the Hogsmeade square, watching all of the familiar and not-so-familiar couples as they passed her by. Was there some unspoken law that _everyone_ in school had to pair up on this holiday? Couldn't people use Valentine's Day just to celebrate friendship?

She turned around just in time to see Severus approaching her, holding out two cups of ice cream. She smiled. _At least I have someone to celebrate my friendship with,_ she thought to herself happily.

"I got you mint chocolate chip," Sev told her, handing her one of the ice cream cups. "Your favorite."

Lily's spirits were already rising. _I'm glad I've got Sev,_ she thought. _He's better than any Valentine I could've said yes to._

She took the ice cream with a grin. "You know me too well," she said with a laugh, taking a small spoonful. Rummaging around through her pockets, she tried to find some loose change. "How much do I owe you?"

Sev shook his head. "We're best friends!" he insisted, truly thrilled to be with her in Hogsmeade. "You don't have to pay me a knut,"

Lily shrugged. "If you say so," she said, trying another spoonful of her ice cream. She paused for a moment. "I hope you know, I'm really glad we're spending this trip together. I've really missed you."

Sev smiled – something that was uncommon for him – when Lily spoke. "I've missed you, too," he told her, his eyes baring deep into hers.

"I know we've both been busy," Lily continued, "but if we could just set aside some more Lily-and-Sev time, like we used to…"

"Yeah," he agreed. The two of them had barely spoken since the Christmas holidays, when Lily had invited him to stay with her. "We should."

Lily grinned. She had missed her best friend entirely too much this year. Lately it had seemed as though they were growing apart – particularly when she saw some of the Slytherins that Sev had been associating with (like Mulciber, that toad who had tried Dark Magic on Mary) – but she had known, deep down, that Sev had a good heart.

"So," Lily said, filling in the gap in conversation. "Can you _believe_ this holiday?"

Sev nodded. "It's just an excuse for Honeydukes to sell all their merchandise at a ridiculously high prices."

"I knew there was a reason behind our friendship," Lily joked, happy to know _someone_ who saw eye-to-eye with her on certain subjects. She pointed discreetly to a boy who was carrying an enormous heart-shaped box. "Honestly. Do you know anyone who could actually eat all that?"

"Perhaps the stomach is distracted by love," Sev replied sarcastically, knowing that Lily would appreciate his cynicism. He paused briefly before pointing out another couple – seventh years, he guessed – wearing matching red-and-pink heart robes and appearing entirely too happy-go-lucky. "What about those two? It looks like a cherub threw up on them."

Lily giggled at Sev's suggestion. Nobody shared her sense of humor quite like Sev.

"This reminds me of Christmas back in third year," Lily said suddenly. "Do you remember?"

Sev furrowed his brow, trying to remember which Christmas that was. They had celebrated together nearly _every_ year in the past; it was difficult to differentiate at times.

"My parents had that Christmas party," Lily reminded him, "and invited all their Muggle friends and the neighbors and everyone. And someone must have brought mistletoe, because I know Mum never hangs it up but that it mysteriously appeared near the kitchen. And all of those couples practically fought to get under that sorry excuse for a plant… don't you remember?"

Sev laughed. "Yeah," he said. It was all coming back to him… except that, in his memory, he remembered distinctly wishing that Lily would lure him over there as well. "I do."

Lily smiled again. "No matter what the holiday, people are going to find some excuse to act like idiots. And we'll be standing nearby, ready to call them out for it."

"Amen," Sev agreed, taking a bite of his rocky road ice cream. He swallowed. "Shall we?" he asked, motioning to a nearby bench. Lily nodded, and the two of them sat down.

Sev took a moment to really look at the girl beside him. He had loved her ever since they were children, that first time he saw her in Spinner's End, and now, here they were, on Valentine's Day. That long red hair now smelled of strawberries, those beautiful green eyes…

Taking a deep breath, Sev regained composure. He knew he cared about her, that she cared about him, and that this was his chance. This was it. "Lily, I need to tell you something," he said seriously.

Unsuspecting of this announcement, Lily placed her hand on Sev's comfortingly. She hoped it was nothing bad; she knew that her friend had a less-than-perfect home life, and inwardly prayed that it had nothing to do with that. "What's that, Sev?"

Sev took another deep breath. "Lily, I …"

"Oi, Snivellus!" called out a voice, interrupting his confession. It was James. "Why don't you go wash your hair and leave the ladies to me?"

Lily glared at him. "Leave Sev alone!" she exclaimed, smacking James across the arm. "Go torture someone else today!"

"Not until you say yes to me," James argued. "Say you'll be my Valentine this year!"

Sev frowned. This was _not_ what he had in mind for such a beautiful afternoon.

"Don't be such a prat, Potter," Lily said defensively. "Why can't we just enjoy ourselves for once without you there to ruin everything?"

James frowned for a moment, before he came to another realization. "I see why you've turned me down… you've already got yourself a Valentine!"

Lily frowned. "You mean Sev?" she asked, the thought not actually occurring to her before. "He's not my Valentine. We're just friends!"

Sev's face fell slightly when he heard this.

"You ought to tell that to _him_," James said, noticing Sev's change in expression (which Lily hadn't).

Lily rolled her eyes. "Just go away, Potter. You're not accomplishing anything just standing here."

"Go out with me," James countered. "Go out with me and all of this will be over."

"I believe," Sev said suddenly, standing up, "that she asked you to leave her alone."

James laughed. "Ooh… I'm really scared." He rolled up his sleeves. "Don't try me, Snivellus."

Sev pulled a wand out of his robe pocket. "Brains over brawn," he muttered to himself, stepping closer to James before…

"No!" Lily exclaimed, jumping up at once. She stood between the two boys immediately. "No. I will not let you fight over something like this!"

Sev put the wand away slowly. "I'm sorry, Lily," he said quietly.

"You could've really hurt him!" Lily exclaimed, admonishing Sev. "Pulling out your wand like that. What were you thinking?"

James smirked. "Your boyfriend's a freak," he told Lily, holding out his arm for her. "Why don't you come spend the rest of the day with me?"

"_You_!" Lily crossed her arms angrily. "Sev never did _anything_ to you, Potter! How dare you threaten him like that?" She groaned. "Can't you ever take no for an answer?!"

James looked down at his feet embarrassedly. He couldn't believe the effect that this had on her.

"I'm sorry," he grumbled.

"You bloody well should be." Lily sighed, taking Sev's hand. "Come, Sev," she said, her tone lightening slightly. "Let's get out of here."

Leaving James behind, the two friends hurried away from that main square in silence. When they reached The Three Broomsticks, Lily finally spoke up.

"You were going to ask me something back there, weren't you?" she asked, her voice soft. "What was it?"

Sev sighed. He knew that the moment was over; he doubted she would ever say she felt the same for him. "Oh, it's nothing. Really."

Lily took a deep breath, and they stood outside for a few moments.

"I'm sorry I got cross with you," she apologized suddenly. "I know you were just trying to defend me. It was actually really sweet of you."

"It was- I mean, I- he was such a- you deserve…" Sev stammered, but was silenced when Lily leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"You're a good friend, Sev," she told him, smiling softly.

Sev was speechless.

"Want to grab a butterbeer?" Lily asked, after another moment of silence.

Sev merely nodded. As they entered the popular pub, he smiled to himself. Today was turning out to be a better Valentine's Day than he'd thought.

* * *

**Author Note: **Okay, I know that in reality, if any of this had actually happened, Snape probably would have put the memory in his Pensieve. So yeah, I took a few creative liberties here. I thought the Potions Master deserved one last happy time with Lily before everything went crazy. I hope you liked it! 

**Acknowledgments:**I would like to thank _His Half Blood Princess, Rictumsempra, this is my reality, CelticFairie, Marlicat, -Jeisa-, ProngsGirl-Kady, caraez, _and_risaroo852_ for your reviews on Chapter 4. You guys rock!


	6. Sixth Year

**Author Note:** So… it's almost Valentine's Day! I was originally going to update yesterday but I'm_way_ busy as of late (a lot of stuff was thrown on me last minute, so… yeah). I wanted to make sure I updated though! Hopefully everyone will enjoy Chapter 6. Sorry that it's not very good… I've been going through a major writer's block lately.

* * *

**Sixth Year**

"_Be my Valentine!" James called down the corridor as he ran to her._

_As was customary each year, Lily crossed her arms and groaned. "No," she told him, annoyed that he would even think to ask her. He knew she would never say yes!_

"_What do I have to do, Lily?" James asked, his eyes pleading. "What do I have to do to make you mine?"_

_Lily nearly laughed at this, but she didn't let on. "Go bother someone else," she insisted, rolling her eyes. "Just leave me alone!"_

_But James wouldn't leave her alone. Suddenly images of their Valentines Days past began to flash through her mind. Notes, crushed flowers, ruined dates and ruined friendships…_

"_I can't leave you alone," James whispered. "Not until you say yes!"_

_And as he held out a bouquet of roses, a jewelry box, and various other items, Lily shook her head. "No!" she shouted. "Just leave me alone!"_

_James shook his head, and he moved in closer to her. "I won't," he told her, and he continued to lean in closer to her, as if he were about to kiss her. Closer, closer…_

"_Leave me alone, James! Just leave me alone!"_

"But I haven't done anything yet!"

Lily awoke with a start. Looking up from the Common Room couch, she noticed James standing over her, a confused expression plastered on his face. She blinked.

"I must have fallen asleep here," she murmured to herself.

James grinned. "Oh, well spotted," he said. "Have you been dreaming about me, then?"

Lily glared at him. "Absolutely not!" she exclaimed. She paused for a moment. "Why were you watching me sleeping, anyway?"

James shifted slightly. "I was… er… on my way downstairs to meet someone," he told her. "I just happened to hear you moaning my name, and of course I couldn't resist…"

"I was _not_," Lily argued, "moaning your name."

"Of course not, love." James smirked. "And I'm not a Gryffindor."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "You mean to tell me that all this time you've spent torturing me over the years, you could have been torturing someone else in, say… Slytherin?"

James shrugged. "It's a cold world, Lily." He paused for a moment, before glancing at the portrait hole. "I really _do_ need to go downstairs. See you at breakfast." With that, he turned and exited the Gryffindor Common Room.

Lily sighed. Swinging her legs around, she stood up off the couch and stretched. _Alice and Mary are probably wondering why I never came up last night,_ she thought to herself as she headed up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.

"Good morning," she greeted her friends as she entered the room, thinking that they would be as half-asleep as she was. Of course, she was wrong – both Alice and Mary seemed fully awake and dressed, and were currently styling their hair.

"Lily!" her friends exclaimed, rushing over to her. "Sleep well?"

Lily nodded quietly.

"Which do you think looks better?" Alice asked, holding out a headband versus a ribbon that would tie her hair back completely. "Because I don't know which one Frank will like better and…"

"He'll think you're beautiful no matter what," Lily told her friend. "But for the sake of choosing… wear the headband. It works well with your hair."

As her friends continued to worry about how they looked for their Valentines this year (Mary would spend the afternoon with a Hufflepuff, Amos Diggory), Lily began to get dressed. She felt as though something in her day was missing.

"So, Lily, why haven't you said yes to anyone this year?" Mary asked, genuinely concerned for her friend, who would be alone this afternoon.

Lily heaved a sigh. "It's fine, really," she insisted. "I don't even believe in this holiday. Besides, you know that if I did make plans, Potter would find some awful way to ruin them…"

She shuddered at the thought of last Valentine's Day. Her last significantly positive memory with Sev (up until James' appearance, at least) was that day, and James had ruined it. Now that she was no longer friends with the sallow Slytherin, the memory only upset her more.

Mary and Alice exchanged glances. "Maybe he won't try anything funny this time," Alice piped up. "A lot's changed in the last year, you know."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I tell myself that _every_ Valentine's Day, but James _never_ changes," she said. She smiled bitterly. "Oh, well. At least perhaps this year he'll do something interesting."

Mary frowned. "Don't get me wrong, Lily, but I don't think he's going to ask you this year," she said.

Lily laughed at this. "Nonsense, Mary!" she exclaimed. "Where have you been? You know that he tries something new every year. It'll be amusing to see what he does today."

Her friends sighed. They knew they would not get through to her.

* * *

Breakfast passed, and Lily scarcely saw much of James _or_ her friends. As classes and meals occurred, she waited for some strange surprise to occur – for James to jump out of nowhere and ask her out for the millionth time.

But each hour was an hour wasted.

When classes were over, Lily headed upstairs to the Common Room. _At least I'll get some homework done, _she thought to herself miserably, knowing that she would be the only one who wasn't taking advantage of the beautiful day.

With a sigh, she entered the Common Room, wondering what on Earth James could possibly be cooking up this year.

_He must be doing something elaborate,_ she thought to herself with a smile. _It'll be funny to see what he does._

She breezed through her History of Magic book, wishing she had dropped the class ages ago. Studying for tomorrow's test would be difficult, to say the least.

Suddenly, she saw another figure enter the room, and she looked up. _James,_ she thought. _He's right on time._

"Hello, Lily," James greeted her. He peered at the books she had, sprawled out in front of her. "Blimey… looks like you're –"

"Not interested?" Lily filled in the blank, almost automatically.

"… Awfully busy," James corrected her, crossing his arms. "Although I thank you for that extra information."

Lily cocked her head to the side in confusion. James wasn't trying to refute her? What was going on?

"…You're welcome?" Lily bit her lip. She paused for a moment, and then decided to ask the burning question. "So… are you going to ask me to be your Valentine?"

James' face fell. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "I didn't…"

"I know," Lily said. "You didn't ask me yet. But you have every other year."

James furrowed his brow. "But Lily, I-"

"Stop wasting time for both of us and just ask," Lily ordered impatiently. "Then I can say no, and you can make another attempt to get me to say yes, and then I'll say no again, and we'll call it a day."

James frowned. "That's not fair."

Lily shrugged. "I'm just basing it on past experience. Isn't that why you're here, James – to ask me?"

"No." James glared at her. "I'm up here to grab my cloak."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

"Dammit, Lily!" James shouted, angry that she was being so rude and condescending. "I'm not going to waste my time anymore!"

Lily's eyes widened at this. James had never shouted at her like this before, and his words had surprised her. She always assumed that he would be there, bothering her and making her want to become invisible, but she never thought he would speak up to her like this.

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"I mean," James said, this time more softly, "that you're no longer worth the chase. Every time I've asked you, you've said no. What makes me think that this time you'll change your mind?"

"But…." Lily sighed. "It's just become a tradition, James. You ask me out and I say no. That's all there is to it."

"Tradition!?" James heaved a bitter laugh. "I'm not here to amuse you, Lily. Five years were _enough_!"

For some reason, Lily didn't like the sound of that… not one bit.

"I'm just saying…" she trailed off, not knowing what else to say. "Why have you changed your mind? Surely you have a reason."

James rolled his eyes. "What does it matter?" he asked. "If you're not interested, why does this bother you?"

Lily sighed. Why did it bother her? She only knew one answer.

"You're right, it doesn't bother me," Lily lied, feeling a strange sensation upon saying this. "Forget I asked."

"Good." James headed over to the stairs to his dormitory. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date… with a girl who actually wants to be my Valentine when I ask her." He shook his head and hurried upstairs and out of sight.

And, against everything she had ever thought about James, Lily couldn't help but feel completely alone in that moment.

* * *

**Acknowledgments:** Thanks to _Rictumsempra, His Half Blood Princess, -Jeisa-, CelticFairie, risaroo582, CurryCurran, Tyem Marodyor, Canterbury fish, Marlicat, caraez, _and_ajteel0203_ for the reviews. You rock! 


	7. Seventh Year

**Author Note:** Thanks for all of the Valentine's Day wishes! You guys are so sweet. I'm glad you enjoyed Chapter 6… I wasn't sure how good it was because I wrote it late at night, but I'm glad you liked it. I hope you enjoy the seventh and final chapter of this mini-story… it's been so much fun! It's not as good or as well-developed as I would have liked, but if it's really bad, I might go back and edit it later. I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day.

I would have posted this last night, but wouldn't let me upload it for some reason! I stayed up pretty late working on it, too, so I was upset about the site not letting me get it uploaded on time. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

* * *

**Seventh Year**

"Rook to D5," James said, knocking Lily's Queen off her pedestal, and thus placing her King in a less-than-desirable situation. "Checkmate."

Lily looked at the chessboard in amazement, taking a moment to analyze the placement of each piece. "But how did you-" she began, completely bewildered. "James Potter, nobody has ever beaten me at Wizard's Chess before."

It was something that Lily took pride in. As a child, she had often played Muggle chess with her father, and only enjoyed the game even more when the pieces came to life. Her analytical skills led her to win every game she ever played at Hogwarts, even when she was young.

James smirked. "Ah," he said, "but clearly you haven't played me before."

Lily frowned at the board again, and crossed her arms. She couldn't believe he had _won_.

It was the night of February 13, and the two sat, facing each other, on the floor of their Common Room. As Head Boy and Head Girl, James and Lily shared their own Common Room and bathroom, with separate rooms upstairs, thus giving them more time alone to attend to their Head duties.

From early in the year, neither of them was pleased with these living arrangements. Their relationship had been particularly rocky since sixth year, when Lily first learned that James had given up on her. However, over the past few months – despite every effort Lily made to refute this – the Head Boy and Head Girl had grown to become somewhat of friends.

"Just don't tell anyone that I lost," Lily urged James, half-joking. "It might ruin my reputation."

James laughed. "If anyone asks, you _let_ me win," he said good-naturedly, though they both knew that none of their friends would even think to ask them about a silly chess game. After all, no one else really knew anything that went on between them once they were in their own Common Room.

"Very good," Lily replied, smiling slightly. She couldn't help herself. After she'd finally opened herself up to James, it was hard _not_ to smile when she was joking around with him.

James returned the smile. "We can rematch tomorrow night, if you want," he told her. "Of course, you realize that this time I'll know all your weaknesses." He winked at Lily.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Haven't you learned by now? I _have_ no weaknesses." She paused for a moment. A rematch sounded like a good idea - surely she could regain her dignity by then - but wasn't tomorrow night…? "Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, James. Surely you'd want to rematch in _two_ days?"

James' face fell slightly. "Oh, of course, right… if you're busy, it can wait."

"I'm not busy." Lily furrowed her brow in confusion. Why would James even suspect her of having Valentine's plans? It had only been a month since she'd broken up with her last boyfriend, Tristan Reid. "But I'm sure _you_ are."

James shook his head. "No plans for me," he admitted. "I'm honestly not in the spirit of it this year." He smiled helplessly at her.

Somehow, this pleased Lily. Actually, a lot of things about James had been pleasing Lily lately. For instance, she had noticed only days before that James had dropped his annoying habit of rumpling his hair to look impressive. When James tried to flex his muscles in the bathroom mirror, Lily no longer found it childish and irksome (sometimes it even made her laugh). And as she watched him right at this moment, Lily even found his _smile_ appealing.

_What's wrong with me?_ Lily wondered, feeling awkward about having these thoughts. _Why should I care if he has a Valentine or not?_

"Then we'll rematch tomorrow night," Lily said finally.

"It's a date!" Right away, James began to regret his choice in words. "I mean… er… well, you know. Not a date."

Lily couldn't help but smile at this. "Right," she agreed, looking into his eyes. There was something endearing about the way he'd immediately blushed when he said that. In the past, he had always been so assertive about his feelings for her, and now that he was no longer interested, he seemed oddly… shy. After about a moment, Lily began to feel awkward again.

"I think I'm going to bed," she informed him, breaking his gaze to run up the stairs. "Good night."

"Sweet dreams!" James called, trying to regain his composure as Lily disappeared from his sight.

* * *

_Something is happening,_ Lily thought to herself in bed, _and I don't like it._

She had noticed this a while ago. For years James had always occupied her mind at least a little, whether she wanted him to or not, but ever since they began living in the same quarters, she had been thinking about him more and more. Lately, her thoughts had been mostly positive, though extremely confusing.

_We're just friends,_ she tried to assure herself. _Of course he can be insufferable, but we're friends and that's all I feel for him._

But then she thought back to the way she felt when he told her he had no Valentine. For the past six years, she had done everything in her power to _avoid_ James on Valentine's Day, and now, here she was, planning to spend time with him that night.

_It's a rematch. Purely harmless… that doesn't mean I have _feelings_ for him._

Lily almost laughed at the thought, until another image came to mind. That grin.

She sighed. _Just because I think of his smile does _NOT _mean that I am attracted to him._

But right as she thought this, she realized how silly she sounded. _Of course I'm attracted to him, _she admitted to herself miserably. _I know all the reasons why I shouldn't think about him, but I do it anyway. It doesn't make sense, but it does. Why else would I let him bother me so much?_

Lily could not believe the realizations that were coming right now. Feelings for James? Though a part of her knew that they had to be true, it felt completely outlandish to think of them now.

_I can't deny it, _she thought simply, inwardly cursing the concept of irony. How was it that the one time she would have said yes to him, he wasn't there to ask?

_This is all too strange._ Lily pulled up the covers, giving up on her analysis of the situation, and tried to fall asleep.

* * *

When Lily arrived downstairs the next morning, James was already waiting for her.

"Good morning, Lily!" he greeted her, seeming to have forgotten the awkward moments between them the night before. "I have something for you."

Lily bit her lip, wondering what on Earth he could have possibly brought her and why. Her heart began to pound.

James reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a heart-shaped box of chocolates. "For you," he told her, grinning. "I know that the last time I got you chocolates, Remus ate them all, so I figured that I owed you."

"Thank you," Lily said quietly, taking the box from him. She realized that her feelings had not changed from the night before. "What's it for?"

James laughed. "Not for Valentine's Day, if that's what you're asking!" he exclaimed. "It's just to call a truce. I know we've had our share of bad Valentine's Days… but I want you to know that I'm not going to try and ruin it for you anymore. I want you to be happy."

Lily nodded. "I want you to be happy, too," she told him, her voice slightly breaking.

James looked satisfied. "Shall we go to breakfast, then?" he asked, beginning to head toward the portrait hole.

Shaking her head, Lily sighed. Should she take a chance? It was all very new to her, but at that moment, she decided to just let her feelings out. "Wait," she told him, finally making her move. "I have something for you, too."

Surprised, James turned to her. "Lily, you didn't have-"

But James was interrupted by a pair of lips on his. Lily kissed him softly and innocently before pulling back. She smiled lightly, and her cheeks grew pink.

"Will you be my Valentine?" she asked meekly.

Against his best efforts (he wanted to seem completely un-phased by this), James grinned. "I have to think about it," he told her, seeming to take the offer very seriously.

"James!" she exclaimed, smacking his arm playfully. She couldn't believe what she had just done, but as it happened it had just made sense to her. "I just poured my heart and soul out to you, and you have to _think_ about it?"

James nodded. "You've kept me waiting for six years, Lily," he reasoned. "Surely you can wait for a few minutes."

"Fair enough."

Roughly ten seconds later, James bent down and pulled Lily into a deeper, fuller kiss. His smile lingered as he broke away.

"I've thought long and hard," he told her, "and my answer is yes."

As the Head Boy and Head Girl left the Common Room, hand-in-hand, Lily couldn't help but realize what she had gotten herself into. Going out with James would not be easy. He was arrogant, and obnoxious, and at times difficult to deal with. He often showed up at the worst time possible, and distracted her from her homework, and asked her entirely-too-personal questions. He had even beaten her at Wizard's Chess.

Lily knew it was uncharted territory. James would probably tease her for saying no to him all those years, and she would probably yell at him for being so immature and threaten to end the relationship right then and there. But she knew she wouldn't – she couldn't – and that they'd been through a lot over the years. It was a lot to think about, but somehow, despite all of the things going against it, it just felt right. Because in the end, after seven years of Valentines, all that really mattered was one.

* * *

**Acknowledgments:** Thank you to all of my readers, who made this story so enjoyable to write! I'm sorry to have ended it so poorly… if you all hate it, I'll take some time to edit this last chapter when I get the chance. Special thanks goes out to reviewers of Chapter 6, whose pennames are _His Half Blood Princess, EmeraldLovesHazel, ProngsGirl-Kady, CelticFairie, Tyem Marodyor, AnitaPotter, Ashley-In-Wonderland, Chocolate Covered Cherry, Katie.Cupcake, risaroo852, mishchef maker, Blue-Eyed Chica, CurryCurran, OniyuriGaaru, caraez, Rictumsempra,_ _t-man, LILYandJAMESareCUTE, _and _Marlicat_. You're all amazing! 


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